Index file



July 23, 1935. 3. A. FINLEY ET AL INDEX FILE Filed Nov. 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS ELLSWORTH G *W' ATTORNEYS LAYER.

July 23, 1935. c. A. FINLEY ET AL INDEX FILE Filed Nov. 6, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CHARLES H. FINLEY. EkLSWORTH G. LAYER, v -Q MATT0RNEY5 A i .#Lli-i r-:

Patented July 23, 1935 PATENT OFFICE INDEX FILE.

Charles A. Finley and Ellsworth G. Layer, Tona- I wanda,.N. Y., assignors to Remington Rand Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.

Application November 6, 1931, Serial No. 573,500

Claims.

Thisinvention relates to filing devices and it hasparticular relation to card index filing de vices in which record members are removably mounted in a collapsible supporting structure 1 and members are provided for holding the supporting structure in non-collapsible position.

In certain classes of filing systems it is desirable to replace or remove data sheets, cards, or the like, and yet maintain an efiicient and conveniently accessible file; 'for example, the general class of files employed in the use of toll rate units in telephone switch boards. The invention constituting the subjectmatter of this application relates generally to this type of file, but the invention is likewis'e'applicable to any kind of filing systemrequiring removable record members and visible index tabs. I

For a'betterunderstanding of the invention reference may now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification of which, y

-' Fig. 1 is'an exploded perspective of the several sections of a filing cabinet embodying the invention; 7

I Fig.2 is a diagrammatic side elevation of one of the'sections of the filing cabinet with record members inserted therein;

Fig. 3 is a plan of the filing unit with the sections thereof assembled but with the tops thereof omitted;

Fig. 4' is a diagrammatic cross-section taken substantially along the line IVIV of. Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 a fragmentary cross-section, on a larger scale, taken substantially along the line V-V'of Fig. 3. I

."Referring to the drawings in detail it will be observed that a filing cabinet I0 shown in assembled relation in Fig. 2 is composed of two telescoping sections I I and I2. The inner section II is provided with a rectangular base I4, a pair of side walls I6 and I1, and an end wall IS, the latter having a slot I9 formed centrally therein. Both side walls are provided with beveled end portions and offset flanges 22 along their outer edges. Ahinge'23 pivotally secures one edge of the side wall I! to the base I4 in such manner that this side wall can be swung open to the position shown by the full lines of Fig. 1, or closed against the end wall I8to' provide a trough like configurationof the section I I. Theside wall I6 and the end wall I8 are rigid or integral with the base I4.

A row of wires 24 extends rigidly from the side wall I6, this row being disposed along a line diagonally of the wall and substantially parallel to the beveled edges 20 of the section II. Thesej Wires are provided with thin flat heads" 26and they extend through openings 21 in the wall in such manner as to projectacross the interior of the section II and each wire extends into one of a row of openings 28 in the Wall I'I aligned with the row of openings 21. A washer 29 surrounding each wire clamps firmlyagainst the wall in opposed relation to. the head 28.

Each of the wires is adapted to support a plu-' rality of record members 30 havingsclips 32 at-- tached to corresponding edges thereof that are provided with eyelets 33,through which the wires. extend. The edges of the record members opposite the clips are offset to provide tab portions, 34 and suitable indextabs 36 are attached to the latter edge portions. According to Fig. 3 the record members are arranged in such manner as to illustrate the relation of the clips .when the wires accommodate a plurality of the card index record members. The sectionI I in the form described is slidable in the receiving shell. section I2 and is guided therein by means of rigid side walls3'I having inwardly turned guiding flanges 38 that engage over the offset flanges 22 of the section I I. These walls have beveled edges corresponding to the edges 20 of the ends of the walls of ,the section II. The hinged side wall I! of course is moved to the position shown in broken lines of Fig. 1- preparatory to the telescopingof the two sections. An end wall 39 of the section IZ'is provided with an angular bracket 40 secured, as indicated at '42, to the wall and including a tapered end 43 projecting toward the central portion of the section at right angles to the end wall. A hook portion 44 is formed at the lower edge of the tapered end 43 adjacent the end wall 39 of the section I2, and the tapered end extends through the slot I9 in the other section in assembled relation for the purpose of engaging the hook portion with the portion of the wall in which the slot is formed. Thus the sections are removably secured together. In order to secure proper engagement of the bracket 40 in the slot I9, a leaf spring 46, secured as indicated at 41 in thebottom of the shell section I2 is inclined upwardly and rearwardly un-' derneath the bracket 40. When the section I I is telescoped into the section I2 the base I4 engages the spring and the latter yieldably urges the section II, upwardly thereby insuring an automatic snap action of the bracket as it engages in the slot. By depressing the section II against the force of the'spring the hook portion Thaving cooperating assembling parts,

may be released and the section I I removed from the shell section 12.

A suitable protecting cover 48 is hinged, as indicated at 49, to the top of the rear Wall 39 of the shell section [2. This covering can be in the form of a celluloid envelope or the like, and normally rests upon the top of the assembly of record members 30. From this description it will be apparent that the record members can be mounted upon and removed from the wires with very slight delay, and that the arrangement of the wires is such that the tab end of the record members are visible in stepped relation. It is only necessary to depress the section I I and Withdraw it from the section l2 in order to free the hinged wall H, which may drop by gravity to an inoperative position or can be swung from the ends of the wires with minimum inconvenience.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described in detail it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or from the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A filing device comprising a-plurality of detachably assembled sections, and a plurality of record member supports on one of the sections, portions of one of the sections being collapsible to present record members for replacement, the collapsible portion being held against collapsing in the assembledrelation of the sections.

2. A filing device comprising a pair of sections record member supports for presenting record members in visible index form, and means for securing the record member supports to one of the sections, one of the sections having a hinged portion cooperating with the record member supports to facilitate removing and installing record members on the support,said hinged portions being closed against removal of the record member when the sections are in assembled relation.

3. A filing device comprising a pair of sections having cooperating assembling parts, record member supports for presenting record members in visible index form, means for securing the record member support to one of the sections, one of the sections having a hinged portion cooperating with the record member supports to facilitate removal and application of record members with respect to the record member supports, and means for releasably locking the sections in assembled relation.

4. A filing device comprising a pair of sections having cooperating assembling parts, record member supports for presenting record members in visible index form, means for securing the record member supports to one of the sections, one of the sections having a hinged portion cooperating with the record member supports to facilitate removal and application of record members with respect to the record member supports, and means for releasably locking the sections in assembled relation, said means including a device for yieldably maintaining the assembled sections in locked relation.

5.A filing device comprising a pair of telescoping sections having guiding members to facilitate assembling the sections, a row of record member supports for presenting record members in visible index form, and means for se- V curing the record member supports to one of the sections, one of the sections having a hinged portion cooperating with the record member supports to facilitate removal and installation of the record members with respect to the record member supports.

6. A filing device comprising a pair of trough like telescoping sections, one side of one of the sections being movable, guiding portions disposed along the trough-like sections to facilitate the telescoping thereof, and a' rowof' record member supports aligned substantially diagonally of one of the section walls, said movable section side having means for receiving portions of the record member supports, said movable section side being movable to expose the record member support to facilitate the removal of record members therefrom when the sections are disassembled.

7. A filing device comprising a pair of troughlike telescoping sections, one side of one of the sections being movable, cooperating guiding:por

tions disposed along the trough-like sections to' facilitate telescoping thereof, a row of record member supports projecting rigidly from one side of one of the trough-like sections, a'hook on one of the sections for snapping into engagement within a portion of the other section, when the sections are in assembled relation, and resilient means for yieldably maintaining the-hook of the one section locked into the other section.

8. An index file, comprising an outersection:

having a bottom, side walls-and one end wall, in-

wardly extending guide flanges onthe upper freeedges of said side walls, a catch on said end wall, an inner section having bottom, side walls and one end wall, said inner section having detachable sliding engagement in the outer section through the open end of said outersection, said sections having the side walls, bottom and endv wall of each lying adjacent to one another in assembled relation with the free edges of the side walls of the inner section slidably'engaged under said guide flanges, the end wall of said inner section having a slot to receive saidcatch, said inner section having sufficient movement laterally to the direction of its sliding movement in the outer section to engage and disengage a portion of the end wall adjacent said slot with said catch, resilient means for normally holding'said inner section engaged with said catch, and a plurality of index cards mounted in said inner section in offset overlapping visible indexedrelation.

9. An index file, comprising anouter-se'ction having a bottom, side walls and one end-wall, inwardly extending guide flanges on the upper free edges of said side walls, an inner section having bottom, sidewalls and one end wall slid"- ably engaged with said outer section through the open end thereof with the upper free edges of the side walls slidably engaging said guide flanges, said sections having the side, end and bottom walls in adjacent relation when assembled with the outer section housing the inner section, a plurality of index cards mounted in said inner section in offset overlapping visible indexed relation, and means for latching, the inner section to the outer section in the assembled relation of said sections.

10. An index file, comprising an outer section having a bottom, side walls and a rear wall, inwardly extending guide flanges on the upper edges of saidside walls, an inner section detachably and slidably engaged in said outer section through of index cards in offset overlapping visible inthe open end thereof, said inner section having dexed relation, and latching means for locking means adjacent the side walls of said outer secsaid inner section in housed relation in said tion engaging between said guide flanges and the outer section against sliding movement.

5 bottom of said outer section and slidably guiding said inner section in said outer section, means CHARLES A. FINLEY. on said inner section for mounting a plurality ELLSWORTH G. LAYER. 

